The entrepreneur behind five successful Southern California music venues is ramping things up at his newest club, The Canyon Santa Clarita, and he’s in negotiations to open another location in Montclair.

The 884-seat venue at Westfield Valencia Town Center in Santa Clarita opened Dec. 1 and has already played host to such diverse artists as Kris Kristofferson and Tower of Power. But Friday night’s bill offered something more. The Stone Temple Pilots had nearly finished their set when actor Johnny Depp jumped onstage for the band’s encore.

Sporting a Gibson Les Paul Special and wearing a hat, dark sunglasses and ragged jeans with a checkered shirt tied around his waist, Depp looked the part of a rock star. His appearance wasn’t exactly planned, but it didn’t surprise Lance Sterling. He’s the president and CEO of Agoura-based Sterling Venue Ventures LLC, which operates the Santa Clarita venue, The Rose in Pasadena, The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills and The Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, in addition to managing the music program at Libby Bowl in Ojai.

“We’ve always had stars get up onstage like that,” he said. “Richie Sambora, who played with Bon Jovi, shows up all the time. I was really surprised to see how many musicians live in Santa Clarita. A lot of the guys from Warrant and Ratt live out there. I see them all the time.”

The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills is Sterling’s oldest venue. It’s been around for 20 years and during that time, he’s learned a thing or two about what it takes to get a new club up and running.

“I think it comes down to our marketing,” he said. “We know what kinds of demographic we thrive in and that’s basically families that make between $65,000 to $150,000 a year. We also notice that a lot of our patrons live in tract homes. They tend to be more communal and they go out in groups of 10 to 20 at a time.”

The Santa Clarita club has been a big success, according to Sterling.

“That one ramped up immediately,” he said. “It’s probably our No. 2 venue right now, just behind the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills. I think it will be our top location very soon.”

Kim Kurowski is already a big fan of the place.

“I’ve gone there probably five or six times,” the 58-year-old Saugus resident said. “I really liked The Tubes. They put on a good show and they’re very entertaining. I know most of their songs, so we had a good time.”

Kurowski is happy that Santa Clarita now boasts a major music venue that features top-name artists.

“I think it’s a great place, and it’s right in our backyard,” she said. “It’s only 5 to 10 minutes away from most anywhere out here, and now we don’t have to drive into the Valley to hear music.”

The Montclair venue, to be called The Canyon Inland Empire, will be on the second level of the Montclair Place mall with parking on the same level. It will accommodate 1,500 guests.

“We’re finishing up signing the lease now, and we’re targeting to have it open by the end of the year,” Sterling said. “We still have to get approvals from the health department and various other departments, but this one will be easier. The space has already been gutted.”

Montclair City Councilman Bill Ruh was happy to hear about the planned venue.

“I think it would be a wonderful addition to the city,” he said. “I get excited about anything that will bring in a new dynamic and help invigorate the nightlife. That’s what millennials are looking for.”

Those clubs would be more than enough for most entrepreneurs to handle, but Sterling is looking to expand even more. He’s currently eyeing potential locations in Santa Ana, Temecula and Escondido.

“None of those areas has a good place for people to go out and hear music,” he said.

Prices for the shows vary. Tickets for the March 24 Santa Clarita performance by Queen Nation, a Queen tribute band, are $19.50. But tickets for the May 17 show featuring Stephen Stills and Judy Collins range from $58 to $98.

On Saturday night The Canyon Santa Clarita will feature Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy. Voted by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 10 greatest drummers of all time, Palmer was one third of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, a British band known for its powerful fusion of rock and classical music.

Other upcoming shows will feature Jim Messina, Melissa Manchester, the Marshall Tucker Band and Wilson Phillips.

Kevin Smith handles business news and editing for the Southern California News Group, which includes 11 newspapers, websites and social media channels. He covers everything from employment, technology and housing to retail, corporate mergers and business-based apps. Kevin often writes stories that highlight the local impact of trends occurring nationwide. And the focus is always to shed light on why those issues matter to readers in Southern California.